APS attack suspect arrested in Italy, handed over to Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: A key suspect of the December 16, 2014 attack on Army Public School (APS) in Peshawar, has been handed over to Pakistan after his arrest in Italy, ARY News reports.

According to sources, Interpol had arrested Usman Ghani in Italy who is said to be involved in Peshawar school attack. Ghani was taken back in flight number EY 231 to Pakistan last night and handed over to Pakistani officials at Benazir International Airport, sources disclosed.

Usman Ghani — who hails from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Swabi district — was escorted to Islamabad’s Benazir Bhutto International Airport in the wee hours of Thursday by Italian police after being arrested in Italy, the sources said.

He is also involved in other terrorist attacks apart of the APS massacre.

The law enforcement agencies transferred the suspect to an undisclosed place for interrogation after his handover, sources added.

At least 148 persons were killed including 134 schoolchildren in the deadliest terror attack in Pakistan’s history when heavily armed militants stormed the army-run school in Peshawar.

A spokesman of the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had claimed responsibility of the attack.